1) Stop attributing ideas to MBW that he doesn't have. Meet MBW, talk to him, then tell me he's some sort of profound genius. Even in his interviews, he comes across as a complete moron. Six months ago the same idiots who are saying "wow he's genius" because they bought his prints were saying "you don't get it, he's purposely an stupid and devoid of ideas because he's really Banksy's Tony Clifton." Seriously? Which is it?

Meanwhile, talk to Shep and you realize he knows exactly what he is doing. He's brilliant because he's fucking brilliant - in the classical sense. The guy exudes IQ and intelligence - I find myself often thinking "That's nice Shep, maybe you're over thinking this a bit"

For that matter, practically every other artists I've talked to is more "with it" and cohesive in thought than MBW, and its not like its just an act. He's just a bit dumb. Nice guy, but dumb.

2) Great, he's vogue and sells prints... what's your point??? I've said it 100 times... so was Thomas Kinkade. He duped a ton of unsophisticated art buyers to buy into him as the next great thing. He event went one step farther and got poor idiots to open mall galleries selling his crappie lithography nationwide. Now, a class action lawsuit later, and its all worthless junk that adorns your grandma's house in the Midwest. I won't say that MBW is as bad as Thomas Kinkade, but I will say he's the Thomas Kinkade of Urban Art.

If you for a second think that hype without substance is some sort of new movement, than I'm pegging you for an unsophisticated art buyer because hype has been inexorably tied to art well before Warhol's Soup Cans.

Fact is, hype and referential commentary regarding it has been the sole motivation for a number of artistic works in the 20th century, but its audacious to think it can be the sole thing holding up an entire career - and fallacious to think for a second hype itself can be a movement because it lacks any form of cohesiveness.

In actuality, parallel examples of artists similarly drawing their popularity solely on the house of cards of hype indicates that MBW may be a very short term phenomena - the word is FAD.

Now, I will still say Pork, that you probably purchased one of my top 5 fav MBW prints.

AS for this "Well he's got us all talking" as some sort of defense.... Put it in perspective.... He's got "us" talking about him, "us" on a board dedicated more often than not to the minut dissection of the going ons of the Urban Art world - is there any surprise? Even when nothing is happening, we're have pedantic discussions such as why Dolk has been quiet and whether it pertains to something larger in the art world.... in other words... this is but a nerdy microcosm within a fringe movement, within the otherwise stuffy and inaccessible world of modern art.

But all this invites the question for MBW adherents.... where does MBW really go from here??? Sure, he may have achieved his goal of hipster (as opposed to establishment) art fame and that was certainly his goal. But what of it? Having seen so many Peter Maxx prints at fractions of their original costs at garage sales in LA - an artists magnitudes more influential in his day, do you really think any of it really means a damn more than flash in a pan??

Seen his latest edition has sold out

I think this really has more to do with sociology than art myself. It's like the healthcare debate, people make and have allegiances and work backwards to prove their points.

It's just funny when people argue against MBW love artists who also steal imagery and ideas left and right. And love artists who also put out work whose concept is thinner than rice paper. It is a fine line though where MBW is. Is it plagerism, is it crap, is it good? Mostly it's crap, but so it arguably is with some other highly praised artists on this forum.

Mostly sure, but his best work puts a lot of other artists mentioned here to shame.

who does he put to shame?

come on then Mr Sausages - name names

The show is called ICONS, it's a 30,000 sqft solo show in London, that includes fine art and installations. Exhibit opens early December...

That's a fair space, anyone know the location?

OK in my book. I had the glossy poster hanging in my place for years until real prints pushed it off the walls. I'd be interested in a print on the offchance you have multiple offers after you have yours.

That one and the original Nike prints (not actual shoes) from circa 2009 or so were the two best prints he's done in my book. Both before ETTGS I believe.